An open labeled single arm clinical study to assess the effect of Sadyovirechana along with Shivagutika in the subjects of Stage IV Cancer

Background: Cancer is the gravest and tissue invasive disease which gradually hampers the quality of life and causes the decreased life expectancy. Ayurvedic classics were aware of malignant diseases; they referred to it as superficial swellings on the body (Arbuda) and Gulma (abdominal tumor) as internal or abdominal tumors. Also, other asadhya (not curable) conditions of diseases mentioned in the classics like Kshataja (cough due to injury) and Kshayaja (cough due to degeneration of tissues), TridoshajaArshas (advanced stage of hemorrhoids), Yakritodara (hepatomegaly) can be considered as advanced stages of cancer. At present the modern treatments for cancer are complex, unpleasant for patients and relatives as it requires long periods of treatment with risk of relapse. Also, in the advanced stage of this grave disease modern medicine has not seen beneficial in reducing the signs and symptoms and improving the quality of life. With this background the present proposal has been taken up to reduce the sufferings and to improve the quality of life in stage 4 cancer subjects.

Objectives: To assess the combined effect of Sadhyovirechana (mild therapeutic purgation) along with Shivagutika (poly herbo-mineral preparation) in improving the quality of life in Subjects of Stage IV Cancer.

Methodology: 14 subjects of either gender diagnosed with Carcinoma of Stage IV were selected and administered three days Sadhyovirechana with 20-30 ml of Gandharvahastadierandataila (processed castor oil) along with 10-20 ml of Gomutra (Cow’s urine) after assessing the Koshtha. 5th day onwards Shivagutika 1 tablet three times a day for 3 months.

Result: The ‘study treatment’ has shown efficacy in relieving the symptoms on majority of the patients i.e., 10 subjects out of 14 subjects (71.42%) while 4 subjects (28.57%) were not responded to the treatment. 10 (71.42%) subjects showed improvement in performance status (general condition) noted on Karnofsky scales. While 4 (28.57%) of the patients were not shown any improvement in general condition.

Conclusion: The study treatment has proved to be of beneficial in improving the general condition and well-being of cancer patients as documented by the improvement in performance status noted on Karnofsky scales. Overall, it can be concluded that Ayurvedic treatment principles holds good in the management of advanced stage of cancer with respect to improvement in the quality of life, reducing the signs and symptoms, improving the general conditions and in providing the survival benefit to a great extent.